Chapter 1120: You're Really a Trouble Magnet |
As for the one who had stirred up all this chaos, he simply stood aside, listening quietly, as though the entire matter had nothing to do with him.
With the matter concluded, the next task was for the Crystal Phoenix Demon Emperor to take over Black Dragon City, a process bound to be long and complex.
The Crystal Phoenix Demon Emperor was well aware that this Jin Miaolin wanted to marry his daughter. Yet, since Su Qin was giving him the cold shoulder and refused to talk to him, he still didn't understand Mei Gongzi's real situation.
Then, an odd scene occurred: Tang San received voice transmissions from three Emperors in succession, asking to meet with him after the council.
The first was the Sunborne Nymph Emperor, followed by the Undying Demon Emperor, and lastly the Crystal Phoenix Demon Emperor, who had been too preoccupied with securing control over Black Dragon City to speak up earlier.
Strangely enough, the Celestial Fox Demon Emperor, whom Tang San had expected to summon him, did not extend any invitation. At the end of the council, he merely gave Tang San a meaningful look, but said nothing.
After a brief consideration, Tang San decided to visit the Sunborne Nymph Emperor first.
The meeting took place at the Emperor's residence in the Ancestral Court.
"You just can't stop causing trouble, can you? It's been over a thousand years since an Emperor last died, and here you are, responsible for two in a row. Did you know that before you arrived today, some Emperors were already asking why every time something big happens, you're involved?" said the Sunborne Nymph Emperor in a stern and forceful tone.
The Sunborne Nymph Emperor paused—he had nearly forgotten. Jiang Chenchou, the fourth-place finisher in the tournament, was indeed his disciple. If a new Emperor was to be promoted, Jiang Chenchou was in a highly favorable position.
Even though today's council hadn't discussed that yet, the contention would surely follow. It was unlikely that the Battle for the Throne would be held again so soon just for the sake of one Emperor's seat. But if it was, with Mei Gongzi, Tang San, and Xu An'yu no longer participating, Jiang Chenchou would be a top contender. Since demons had lost an Emperor, they would certainly oppose the Scorching Sunflowers gaining another, but even so, the odds now favored nymphs.
With that in mind, the Sunborne Nymph Emperor's expression softened slightly. "From now on, you must keep a low profile. Although all the Emperors understand your value, if anything like this happens again, you'll face a serious backlash. Remember, you're still only a Crown Prince; there's no crown on your head just yet. Understand?"
"I understand, Your Majesty. I'll keep a low profile, very low," Tang San said with a grin.
He had come to the Ancestral Court precisely to preempt any possible criticism. Reporting the situation himself showed his sincerity, and several Emperors were already inclined to support him. Even the Celestial Fox Demon Emperor wouldn't want to offend him; after all, with the aid of life energy, gathering fortune for the Celestial Fox clan had become much easier. That was why the Celestial Fox Holy Mountain had been repaired so swiftly, and why the Emperor held Tang San in high regard.
The Sunborne Nymph Emperor's stern look faded. In a more earnest tone, he said, "You need to work on becoming a true Emperor as soon as possible. Only then can you take control of your fate. The Ancestral Court has already started preparing resources for the three of you. When do you plan to come? How far off do you feel from your breakthrough?"
Tang San smiled wryly. "Honestly, I'm not sure. I still need time to consolidate my various abilities. I haven't fully integrated the Crystal Demon Emperor's legacy that I gained before the evaluation. And then there's the power of life and annihilation, and the holy energy I need to fuse them all. Ultimately, I think I'll use the life energy from the Ancestral Tree as the core Law for my tribulation."
The Sunborne Nymph Emperor nodded seriously. "Correct. You must ensure everything is harmonized before your tribulation, to touch deeper Laws and emerge with sufficient strength. Come to the Ancestral Court as soon as possible, and I'll guide you through the tribulation myself."
"Thank you, Your Majesty." Tang San bowed quickly. "I plan to go to Kali City to propose first, and then Mei Gongzi and I will come together to the Ancestral Court for secluded cultivation and tribulation preparation."
Sunborne nodded again. "Good. Come soon. Also, can you handle Mei Gongzi? Can you really win her over?"
Tang San chuckled. "In time, feelings can grow. Besides, isn't it a matter of whether she can handle me? She chose me, after all."
Sunborne scoffed. "That girl is shrewd. Pretended not to care about you, then made her move at the critical moment and took you down."
Tang San replied, "Well, she was playing by the rules. I couldn't do anything about it! Do you have any other instructions, Your Majesty?"
The Sunborne Nymph Emperor said, "Just stop stirring up trouble. Your Blue Gold Tree clan has been quiet for years. Why is it that the moment you took over, everything got so dramatic?"
Tang San said with a bitter smile, "Because if I hadn't, we might've been exterminated."
The Emperor fell silent for a moment. "Alright. Just remember to come soon."
Tang San said, "After the proposal, I plan to marry Mei Gongzi right here in the Ancestral Court. When the time comes, Your Majesty, I'd like you to preside over the wedding."
The Sunborne Nymph Emperor nodded.
A wedding between two Crown Princes was a major event for the Ancestral Court. Especially now, with Tang San being courted by all factions, holding the wedding in the Ancestral Court was the best choice. After all, Kali City and Skytree City were both too remote, hardly ideal for gathering all the Emperors.
Having said his goodbyes, Tang San then went to meet the Undying Demon Emperor, following the order of the voice transmissions.
"Your Majesty, I am here." Tang San bowed respectfully in greeting.
"Mm, sit," the Undying Demon Emperor said calmly. Compared to the irritated Sunborne Nymph Emperor, he was much more composed and even wore a smile. But his gaze was nevertheless sharp, and he wasted no time getting to the point.
"Can you tell me exactly how Tenebrous died?"
Though he hadn't used any ability, Tang San instantly felt an oppressive pressure upon his divine consciousness.
After a moment's hesitation, Tang San replied, "Your Majesty, I already gave a full account during the council. That's how it happened."
The Undying Demon Emperor waved dismissively. "Don't play tricks with me. It's pointless. Tenebrous might not have been the strongest, but he was certainly the most cowardly. He could smell danger like no one else, and he knew how to avoid it. Yet you're telling me he didn't even try to escape? Please. Don't insult my intelligence."
Feeling the pressure intensify, Tang San sighed helplessly. "The situation might've been a bit unusual. He released the power of misfortune from the Misfortune Pearl, trying to envelop Crystal City in misfortune. I used holy energy to counter it, while Xu An'yu channeled the city's power to attack him. He seemed to suffer some backlash from the misfortune, which caused him to freeze for a moment. I took the opportunity and used my domain to hold him down while Xu An'yu dealt him a heavy blow. Mei Gongzi then struck the final blow and killed him."